Now, though, is a good time to thank you for your continued interest in the Blog and for your collaboration on our social channels. We look forward to bringing you more and better content in 2013. As for 2014, well, you know…

This post encapsulated much of what happens during the two weeks U.S. Kids descends on Pinehurst, from the swarm of Rickie Fowler hats to the media coverage. We saw the best of kids and golf, and we saw pressure on the players. We also saw that U.S. Kids has its finger on the pulse of that divide, and what it’s doing to fix it.

On Labor Day, Pinehurst Resort held its Military Appreciation Day, giving deep discounts on golf, dining and spa to military personnel and their families. That opportunity brought Ken Dwyer back to Pinehurst for the first time in many years – and brought inspiration to everyone who was around him or saw him that day.

Only one blog post this year garnered more attention from readers and social media than Ken Dwyer’s story, which is recounted at the link above. The Silver Star is only part of his story.

View of the 18th green on Pinehurst No. 2 from the East Veranda, with the green awning in the process of being removed.

Knowing the vast potential for improvement, Pinehurst has hoped to begin renovations on the Members Club for some time.

In November, the first glimpses revealed themselves.

And clearly, you all loved the potential of what’s to come.

The most viewed blog post of the season revealed before and after shots from the East Veranda of the Members Club overlooking the 18th green of Pinehurst No. 2 and the first hole. The difference was beyond dramatic, and as the awnings came down, and then the frame and then the columns, it just continued to get better and better, even, as the photos revealed, from inside the clubhouse.

2013 will bring more renovations, inside and out. 2014 will bring even more:

So often when a PGA Tour player comes to Pinehurst, he has a history with the historic venue and famed Pinehurst No. 2.

But for 24-year-old Aussie Jason Day, Sept. 26, 2012, marked the first time he’s ever been to Pinehurst and the first look he’s ever gotten at Pinehurst No. 2.

He liked what he saw.

No. 6: Pinehurst Podcast With David Feherty

OK, OK, so not technically a video.

But, c’mon, it’s David Feherty! Talking Crenshaw, Pinehurst, The U.S. Open, the Putter Boy and mental illness, pretty much in that order.

A sampling:

“Because of the nature of (Donald) Ross’ twisted mind, if you miss the green in the wrong spot, you are, for want of a better word, f—–.”

No. 5: Sir Nick Visits Pinehurst

In October, Sir Nick Faldo, a six-time major championship winner, visited Pinehurst as part of a BMW function, running about 15-to-20 minutes extra on what was supposed to be a 1-hour golf clinic. He also took the time to chat with Pinehurst Resort (despite blistering wind as Hurricane Sandy was near the Carolina coast) about the perils of playing Pinehurst No. 2, the fear involved in chipping here, and also gave his opinion on the controversy surrounding banning anchored putters and talked about his new book, an updated version of A Swing for Life.

No. 4: Putter Boy Moves Back Home

For the last couple of decades and since the 1994 U.S. Senior Open, Putter Boy has resided in front of the main putting green near the Resort Club veranda. But on Sept. 13, he was on the move once again. With a dedicated crew showing tender care for the Boy, he was moved near his original location of nearly 100 years ago, and very close to the spot Donald Ross originally intended. Putter Boy now overlooks much of the new short-game practice area that Pinehurst is developing, and bisects the large putting green.

In Part 2 of an extensive interview from their visit in August, Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore discuss what kind of player will do well at the 2014 U.S. Open, how the men’s and women’s Opens will be dramatically different than any other Open in history, and how the course will change naturally over time and seasons.

So soak in the interview in its entirety, where we are certainly happy to let Ben and Bill speak at length.

No. 1: Thisle Dhu at Pinehurst

Certainly, excitement continues to build as the back-to-back 2014 U.S. Opens at Pinehurst draw nearer. But perhaps nothing generated more interest on the Pinehurst “campus” than the building and opening of Thistle Dhu, Pinehurst’s new 18-hole putting course. And when it opened for the first time to cap Pinehurst’s annual Member-Guest Tournament, the legend was born. It has been the site of “Thistle Dhuels” ever since.

Once more, many thanks for your interest in the Pinehurst Resort Blog and the content coming out of this historic area. You’ve made 2012 a year to remember in Pinehurst. Please remember to keep up to date with all things happening at Pinehurst on our Facebook and Twitter feeds.